Jessica Sanchez had her head in the clouds, literally and figuratively, after taking off from the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum Saturday afternoon.

Having just completed a rousing, four-song performance for 4,000 loudly enthusiastic fans on the landmark aircraft carrier, the 16-year-old Chula Vista vocal phenom was returning to Los Angeles to prepare for Wednesday’s “American Idol.” The youngest, and most precociously talented, Top Three contestant, she arrived here Friday night on the same helicopter, which landed in center field at nearby Petco Park.

But before it was back to singing for millions on TV in L.A., Jessica sang her heart out for thousands at two Saturday homecoming events (albeit with an “Idol” film crew shooting the highlights for Wednesday’s show). The glitz and glitter of “Idol” was replaced by a lot of heart, soul and infectious local pride for a young singing sensation whose star rises higher by the week.

“Thank you guys so much! Thank you for showing up,” Jessica told the boisterous Midway crowd, which included her parents, two brothers and other family members.

She expressed similar sentiments earlier Saturday to the more than 6,000 fans who gathered to cheer her on at Eastlake High School’s Stan Canaris Football Stadium in Chula Vista.

“This is so amazing, and I’m so happy to represent Chula Vista and San Diego,” she told the stadium audience. “I love you guys so much.”

Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox was on hand at the stadium to declare that Saturday was officially “Jessica Sanchez Day” in the South Bay city that is Jessica’s home. A few hours later on the Midway, Cox’s husband, San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox, announced it was “Jessica Sanchez Day” throughout the county, while San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders issued the third proclamation of the day in the singer’s honor.

Also on hand at the Midway were crew members from the amphibious transport ship San Diego, which this week will become the newest addition to the U.S. Navy fleet. David Griggs, the San Diego’s command master chief, presented Jessica with a personalized crew cap and jacket.

“We tried to get (you) the smallest one we could. I hope it fits,” Briggs told the diminutive Jessica, who wore the jacket for all four songs she sang on the aircraft carrier’s expansive flight deck. Her final “Idol” audition last year took place in the carrier’s bay hangar.

Saturday’s homecoming events seemed to produce almost enough electrifying hometown pride to reactivate the currently dormant San Onofre nuclear power plant. When Jessica’s voice soared to the heavens during her Midway performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” and the Whitney Houston hit “I Will Always Love You,” she and her audience lit up together in the best possible way.

“She’s awesome! It’s not too often we hear Chula Vista mentioned on national TV in a good way,” said Ken Nieves, 42, who attended the stadium event with his daughter, Izabel, 12.